Part 22 (1/2)

The Koppelman and Bandier offer was being financed by the MCA company, so John made a telephone call to the head of the company, Irving Azoff. 'Man, you can't give these guys money to buy this catalogue,' John told Irving. 'Did you know that they're competing against Michael for it? Remember, you were a consultant for the Victory tour?'

'Johnny, don't worry about it,' Irving Azoff said. 'I'll take care of it.'

Azoff then pulled the rug out from under Koppelman and Bandier by refusing to finance their offer. John Branca had put Michael back in the driver's seat.

Soon, Robert Holmes a Court was telephoning John Branca and practically begging him to go to London and close the deal. John played hardball and acted as if Michael wasn't interested. Holmes a Court offered to pay for John's plane fare, but John could afford his own ticket, and didn't want any favours at this stage of the game. John agreed to go to Europe, and Holmes a Court even said that if the deal wasn't closed on that trip, he would reimburse all of John's travel and accommodation expenses.

After Michael gave John power of attorney, he went to England and closed the deal in twenty-four hours. Michael Jackson never signed the important, history-making contracts; John Branca did. John then telephoned Michael long-distance to give him the news, bad and good. The bad news: he was out $47.5 million. The good news: he owned ATV.

Michael couldn't believe his good fortune. The same could be said for Paul McCartney, who said, 'Someone rang me up one day and said, ”Michael's bought your songs.” I said, ”What??!!” I think it's dodgy to do things like that,' Paul complained. 'To be someone's friend and then to buy the rug they're standing on.'

After the deal was struck, Michael did attempt to telephone Paul to discuss the matter. Knowing his personality, that probably wasn't an easy thing for Michael to do, still he at least tried. However, when he called, Paul hung up on him. Finally, Michael concluded, 'Paul's got a real problem, and I'm finished trying to be a nice guy. Too bad for him. I got the songs and that's the end of it.'

Robert Hilburn, in an a.n.a.lysis of the ATV acquisition for the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, explained Michael's purchase in dollars and cents: 'If, for instance, ”Yesterday” earns $100,000 a year in royalties from record sales, airplay and live performances, the Lennon estate and McCartney as co-writers divide about 50 per cent of that income, about $25,000 each. The publisher now Michael Jackson collects the other 50 per cent. The publisher also controls the use of the song in terms of films, commercials and stage productions.' explained Michael's purchase in dollars and cents: 'If, for instance, ”Yesterday” earns $100,000 a year in royalties from record sales, airplay and live performances, the Lennon estate and McCartney as co-writers divide about 50 per cent of that income, about $25,000 each. The publisher now Michael Jackson collects the other 50 per cent. The publisher also controls the use of the song in terms of films, commercials and stage productions.' Yesterday Yesterday in particular probably earns considerably more. in particular probably earns considerably more.

As soon as Michael made the purchase, he and his representatives investigated tactics to make it pay off for him. He hired a staff to develop an anthology series and four films using The Beatles' music, including Strawberry Fields Strawberry Fields, an animated feature; Back in the USSR, Back in the USSR, a movie based on Russian rockers; and films based on 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'The Fool on the Hill'. Michael also planned musical greeting cards and music boxes. When he licensed 'Revolution' to Nike for a sneaker advertis.e.m.e.nt, he obtained Yoko Ono's consent, but not Paul McCartney's. In fact, Paul, like many Beatles fans, felt Michael was cheapening the music. a movie based on Russian rockers; and films based on 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'The Fool on the Hill'. Michael also planned musical greeting cards and music boxes. When he licensed 'Revolution' to Nike for a sneaker advertis.e.m.e.nt, he obtained Yoko Ono's consent, but not Paul McCartney's. In fact, Paul, like many Beatles fans, felt Michael was cheapening the music.

In the end, though, Paul had to accept Michael's decision. Every time Paul performed one of the songs he wrote between 1964 and 1971, he had to pay Michael.

When Michael sold 'All You Need is Love' to Panasonic for $240,000, Paul finally called him and told him he was going too far. Michael didn't even hang up on him. He explained that he felt using The Beatles' songs in commercials enabled the music to reach an entirely new generation of fans who would then buy Beatles' records. 'I just don't like the idea that Michael Jackson is the only guy in the world who gets to sit in judgement as to which Beatles songs can be used in commercials,' Paul later said. 'He's drawn up a list! I don't see how he should have that power.'

Paul said he had hoped that 'All You Need is Love' would remain an anthem of the sixties, not become a jingle for 'a friggin' loudspeaker system. And I also don't want ”Good Day Suns.h.i.+ne” to become an Oreo cookie,' he complained, 'which I understand he's done. I think that's real cheesy. I don't think Michael needs the money.'

On the other hand, Paul owns the Buddy Holly catalogue and had exploited Holly's songs commercially many times over, because, as he's reasoned, 'Buddy himself did commercials, and his widow actively wants us to earn money via commercials. It's her call.'

Yoko seemed satisfied with what Michael did with The Beatles' catalogue and called his owners.h.i.+p 'a blessing'. She said in November 1990, 'Businessmen who aren't artists themselves wouldn't have the consideration Michael has. He loves the songs. He's very caring. There could be a lot of arguments and stalemates if Paul and I owned it together. Neither Paul nor I needed that. If Paul got the songs, people would have said, ”Paul finally got John.” And if I got them, they'd say, ”Oh, the dragon lady strikes again.”'

In 1990, Paul and Michael met to discuss what Paul called 'this problem of publis.h.i.+ng'. Paul recalled, 'I put it to him this way: ”When we signed our deal, John and I didn't even know what publis.h.i.+ng was. We thought songs were in the sky and everyone owned them. These days, even kids know better than that. Last year, ”Yesterday” pa.s.sed the five-million-plays mark in America, which no other song has ever done. Not even ”White Christmas”. But no one has ever come up to me and said, ”Hey man, I really think you need a bonus. You've done great for this company.” So what the f.u.c.k is going on? You mean I've got to be content for the rest of my life to be on this deal I signed when I was a fresh-faced twenty-year-old? I've done a lot for this company.'

Michael acted as though he didn't understand what in the world Paul was telling him. Therefore, Paul spelled it out for him. 'I wanted him to recognize in the deal that I'm a big writer for this company that he now owns,' McCartney recalled.

Michael told Paul that he didn't 'want to hurt anyone', and Paul said he was happy to hear that. 'He's a genuine bloke, Mike is,' a placated Paul would then say of him. Michael promised that he'd try to work something out.

The next day, John Eastman, Paul's attorney, telephoned John Branca and told him that Paul and Michael had agreed to renegotiate a higher writer's royalty for his songs. John checked it with Michael. 'Heck, no, I didn't tell Paul that,' Michael said, annoyed. 'In fact, he's not getting a higher royalty unless I I get something back from get something back from him, him, in return.' in return.'

John pa.s.sed Michael's comment on to Paul's attorney.

'Okay, then fine. We'll sue,' Eastman threatened.

'Hey, be my guest,' Branca told him.

When John told Michael that Paul might sue him, Michael laughed out loud. 'Cool. Let him sue,' he said. 'Meanwhile, go license some more songs, Branca. Let's make some money. Let's run this thing like a business.'

An a.s.sociate of Michael's said, 'Privately, Michael's feeling was: Paul had two chances to buy the company. Both times, he was too cheap to spend the money. Mind you, Paul is said to be the richest entertainer in the world, worth about $560 million. His royalties in one year come to $41 million. As Mike told me, ”If he didn't want to invest 47.5 million in his own songs, then he shouldn't come crying to me now.” He's a hard-hearted son-of-a-gun, Michael Jackson is, just like his father. And when it comes to Paul, Michael doesn't want to know anything. ”I got those songs fair and square,” he's said. ”They're mine, and no one can tell me what to do with them. Not even Paul McCartney. So, he'd better learn to deal with it.”'

By acquiring ATV, Michael Jackson proved himself a perceptive, hardheaded businessman, exactly the kind of entrepreneur his father, Joseph, would like to have been, but wasn't. Where Joseph bullied, Michael ingratiated. Where Joseph shouted, Michael usually listened but he, too, could be unreasonable. Where Joseph rushed in unprepared, Michael usually studied every angle before reaching a decision or, at least, he had someone else do it for him, namely John Branca. Indeed, Michael had the wisdom to surround himself with brilliant people, and then allow them to do their jobs without interference; Joseph never did. He always felt that he had to have final-say over everything. It's almost as though Michael had studied Joseph's technique and then tried to do exactly the opposite. However, what father and son did share back then and still do today is that they trust no one and can be ruthless to those they have vanquished. Rarely do they allow anyone a second chance.

'We Are the World'

By January 1985, the Victory tour was history. Though it hadn't been an easy experience, Michael did find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: Chuck Sullivan gave him eighteen million dollars, cash, cash, to develop a clothing line. Michael barely got a few fas.h.i.+ons into the stores which didn't sell when Chuck went bankrupt. Michael got to keep the eighteen million. to develop a clothing line. Michael barely got a few fas.h.i.+ons into the stores which didn't sell when Chuck went bankrupt. Michael got to keep the eighteen million.

The Jacksons made a lot of money on the Victory tour, even if the promoters didn't; each brother made about $7 million, one-sixth of the share after all expenses, net. Michael donated his take to charity; his brothers spent theirs on a lavish lifestyle and, before very many years, would need to work again.

Michael has never again gone on the road with his brothers though they have repeatedly tried to convince him to do 'just one more tour'.

Once he got home to Encino, one of the first things Michael did was get into LaToya's black Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL and speed off without any security. He simply wanted some freedom as if he could ever have it! As always, there were about two dozen fans waiting at the front gate for someone anyone who looked like a Jackson. They never dreamed they might actually catch a glimpse of the the Jackson. When they saw him pull out of the gate, they jumped into their cars and followed in hot pursuit. Michael tried to lose them, but to no avail. He was almost to Quincy Jones's house, miles away, when the vehicle car ran out of gas. Michael jumped out of the car, leaving it in the middle of the street, and then ran for blocks, with his stalkers following him, until he reached Quincy's home, where he found refuge. Jackson. When they saw him pull out of the gate, they jumped into their cars and followed in hot pursuit. Michael tried to lose them, but to no avail. He was almost to Quincy Jones's house, miles away, when the vehicle car ran out of gas. Michael jumped out of the car, leaving it in the middle of the street, and then ran for blocks, with his stalkers following him, until he reached Quincy's home, where he found refuge.

After the Victory tour, Michael became involved in 'We Are the World', the historic effort to feed the hungry of Ethiopia. For some time, Harry Belafonte had been making plans to draw together some of the biggest artists in the entertainment business to record a song, the proceeds of which would go to a new nonprofit foundation, USA for Africa, to feed the starving ma.s.ses. In addition to providing emergency food, medical relief, and self-help programmes to stricken areas of Africa, the undertaking was also to set aside funds for hunger relief in the United States. Harry contacted Ken Kragen, an entertainment manager with a history of fund-raising, to ask if he could enlist his clients, Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie, in the endeavour. Kenny and Lionel, in turn, obtained the cooperation of Stevie Wonder to add more name value to the project. Lionel then telephoned Michael to ask if he would perform on the recording. He not only wanted to sing on the song, Michael said, he also wanted to help Lionel write it.

Michael has always been empathetic to the plight of the hungry, homeless and sick, especially children. In the past, Frank Dileo has told many heartbreaking stories of Michael's influence on dying children. It is as though an unexplainable part within Michael is able to reach children close to death; his touch seems to act as some kind of soothing balm for kids facing a frightening time. It's an important, positive side of Michael, and one he thinks is the best thing about himself.

For instance, a small child suffering from a brain tumour and spinal cancer was brought to Michael on a stretcher one night after a show. When the boy reached up to Michael, Michael grabbed his hand and held tight. The child smiled. Frank Dileo turned away and broke into tears. 'He's not afraid to look into the worst suffering and find the smallest part that's positive and beautiful,' Frank concluded.

Seth Riggs, his voice teacher who has travelled with Michael on tours, recalled, 'Every night the kids would come in on stretchers, so sick they could hardly hold their heads up. Michael would kneel down at the stretchers and put his face right down beside theirs so that he could have his picture taken with them, and then give them a copy to remember the moment. I couldn't handle it. I'd be in the bathroom crying. The kids would perk right up in his presence. If it gave them a couple days' more energy, to Michael it was worth it.'

While working on 'We Are the World', Lionel Richie went to Hayvenhurst every night for a week where he and Michael sequestered themselves in Michael's room to labour on lyrics and melodies. They knew that what they wanted was some sort of anthem, a song both easy to sing and memorable. Though Michael and Lionel have never said as much publicly, LaToya who watched the pair work claims that Lionel only wrote a couple of lines of the song. She contends that 99 per cent of the lyrics were written by Michael, 'but he's never felt it necessary to say that.' The lyrics and the melody were finished on 21 January 1985, just one night before the recording session.

While Michael and Lionel were composing, Ken Kragen went about the business of lining up the all-star cast: Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, Billy Joel, Ray Charles, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, The Pointer Sisters, Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Bob Dylan and many others, forty-five in all. Another fifty artists had to be turned down to keep the project from becoming too unwieldy. Michael asked LaToya to show up, and she did. (She got to stand next to Bette Midler in the line-up.) Marlon, Jackie, t.i.to and Randy were also there.

Quincy Jones took time away from producing the film The Colour Purple The Colour Purple to produce and arrange (with Tom Bahler) the Jackson Richie collaboration at A&M Studios in Hollywood. Because the American Music Awards had been held that same night, many of the artists came directly from those festivities. When the performers showed up, the first thing they saw was a sign outside Studio A: 'Please check your egos at the door.' It was astonis.h.i.+ng that so many artists of diverse backgrounds and individual renown were able to do just that: there were no ego problems, at all. Diana Ross could not conceal her excitement and asked the other stars for autographs. The Pointer Sisters took pictures of Michael. 'I've never before felt that strong sense of community,' Kenny Loggins observed. to produce and arrange (with Tom Bahler) the Jackson Richie collaboration at A&M Studios in Hollywood. Because the American Music Awards had been held that same night, many of the artists came directly from those festivities. When the performers showed up, the first thing they saw was a sign outside Studio A: 'Please check your egos at the door.' It was astonis.h.i.+ng that so many artists of diverse backgrounds and individual renown were able to do just that: there were no ego problems, at all. Diana Ross could not conceal her excitement and asked the other stars for autographs. The Pointer Sisters took pictures of Michael. 'I've never before felt that strong sense of community,' Kenny Loggins observed.

At around ten p.m., the proceedings turned solemn. Ken Kragen addressed the group to a.s.sure them that money generated from the recording would, indeed, 'go to the right places'. Bob Geldof, the leader of the Boomtown Rats and organizer of the British Band Aid musical charity effort, which produced the single, 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' told of his visits to Ethiopia. Two Ethiopian women, whose presence had been arranged by Stevie Wonder, reported on the horrible suffering there.

Finally, Michael addressed the a.s.semblage of stars. Very quietly and somewhat awkwardly, he explained his and Lionel's composition as 'A love song to inspire concern about a faraway place close to home.'

The musical tracks had been recorded earlier in the day, so it was just a matter of fine-tuning the lyrics 'Should it be ”brighter day” or ” day” or ”better day”?' and adding the voices. Michael taught the artists the melody and lyrics most had already been sent taped demos of the song with Michael performing and worked with them on vocal arrangements. day”?' and adding the voices. Michael taught the artists the melody and lyrics most had already been sent taped demos of the song with Michael performing and worked with them on vocal arrangements.

As integral as Michael Jackson had become to the process, he was also very much separated from it. Whereas everyone else present was filmed (by six cameras) as they performed for the 'We Are the World' video, Michael's solo was taped later, privately, and spliced into the final version. He never took off his shades. Some people speculate that he chose not to record with the rest because he was so awestruck by his fellow celebrities. The ultimate perfectionist, he would feel that he could not perform to the best of his abilities in front of them. Others offer a more cynical explanation: Michael likes to feel he is different from everybody and emphasizes this difference by erecting barriers between him and his fans, his peers and his family. Indeed, in the video of 'We Are the World', the shot of Michael begins at his Ba.s.s Weejun shoes and trademark sequined socks, and then pans upward to his carefully made-up face, all at Michael's direction. 'People will know it's me as soon as they see the socks,' he said, proudly, and he was right about that. 'Try taking footage of Bruce Springsteen's socks and see if anyone knows who they belong to,' he added with a grin.

The recording and taping session took all night. Who would sing what and with whom had been decided a couple of days earlier by Lionel Richie, producer Quincy Jones, and arranger Tom Bahler. Some of the interesting vocal pairings included Tina Turner with Billy Joel, Dionne Warwick with Willie Nelson, and, of course, Diana Ross with Michael Jackson. The only hint of things not going as planned involved the pairing of Michael and Prince. Michael didn't like Prince, but for charity he would sing with him. However, Prince didn't even show up. At six the next morning, he called the studio to ask if he might come in and lay down a guitar part. Quincy told him it was too late.

By seven-thirty in the morning, the job was done and the artists began to leave. 'Michael was as exhausted as anyone,' Jeffrey Osborne reported. 'He didn't say much, maybe something about being very happy, but I could tell that he was delighted.'

'I did expect to see more ego,' Paul Simon reported. 'You know, ”The Gloved One” meets ”The Boss” and things like that, but it just didn't happen.'

'I just don't want this night to end,' Diana Ross said as she hugged Tina Turner.

It would seem that everyone who partic.i.p.ated in the 'We Are the World' recording session shared Diana's sentiments. The gentle, uplifting spirit of the song also touched the public's emotions when it was finally released on 7 March 1985. The initial s.h.i.+pment of 800,000 records sold out within three days of its release. The song was number one in America for a month, and also spent a couple of weeks at the top spot in Britain, as well as in other countries. The 'We Are the World' video lent itself well to the benevolent spirit of the celebration and helped to sell four million records in all, earning about eight million dollars for the USA for Africa fund.

A Prank That Didn't Work.

The 1986 Grammys set the stage for one of Michael's more bizarre pranks but one that didn't pan out as he had expected.